Folding desk



(No Model.)

DVBURDGE. Folding Desk. No. 237,166. Patented Feb. 1, 18811..

ATTORNEYS.

N. PETERS. PHOTO-LIYHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON n C .the same open.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DWIGHT BURDGE, OF BATTLE GREEK, MICHIGAN.

FOLDING DESK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 237,166, dated February 1, 1881. Application filed April 17, 1880 (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DWIGHT BURDG-E, of

Battle Creek, Calhoun county, Michigan, have invented a new and Improved Folding Desk, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a new and improved upright folding desk which is simple in construction and can be folded very compactly.

My invention is an improvement ill the class of folding writing-desks, and the feature of novelty is the construction and combination of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed, whereby a hinged case or paper and envelope receptacle is held in an upright position on a folding table-top when the latter is adjusted horizontally on the two pairs of crossed and pivoted legs, to one pair of which said table-top is itself hinged, so that it may fold between the legs when the desk is closed.

Ill the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of my improved folding desk, showing Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the folded desk, showing the under side of the writing-boar and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the folded table, showing the rear side of the upright stationary case. Fig. 4 is, mainly, an end view of the desk open.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A writing table or board, A, is pivoted to the tops of the legs A A which are pivoted to the legs B B crossing them, the two pairs of legs thus formed being united by a central cross bar, (J. The corresponding legs are braced in some suitable manner by transverse top and bottom bars, D and E E ,'as shown.

A case, F, is subdivided. into a series of compartments and drawers for receiving paper, envelopes, and other stationery, and is provided with a top lid, G. This case F is hinged to the writing-board A at the back side, the front side being hinged to legs A A in such a manner that the saidcase rotates on its lower inner edge, and the compartments containing paper and envelopes are closedwhen the case is lowered by the folding of the writin g-board A againstthe upright case.

A latch, H, is attached to the under side of the board A at its rear edge, and a socket, J, for the bolt of said latch, is provided on the upper cross-bar, D.

Bars K, bent so as to form hooks L at the lower ends, are attached to the back of the case, and slide up and down in guards or recessed plates M, attached to the top crossbar, D.

The legsA A B B are not straight, but are provided with a bend'in. the middle, so that the case and writing-board can fit between them.

A receptacle, N, for large sheets of paper, is attached to the under side of the writing-hoard A, and is closed by a hinged lid, 0,.flush with the top of the writing-board.

The desk, when folded, is locked by a latch, P, on the under side of the board A, into which latch a tongue or staple, Q, on the front of the stationary upright case F, passes. The case F- must be of less width than the space between the two legs B B, so that it fits into the space between the legs, as shown ill Fig. 3. The lid G of the upright stationary case F can be opened and closed independently of the position of the desk,the same being opened or closed. The case Fin all cases remains ill an upright position.

The operation is as follows: If the desk is ill the position shown ill Figs. 2 and 3 it is locked by the tongue Q and the latch P. This lock being opened the legs are spread apart and the upright case F is raised by a handle, R, that appears on the back of the case above the upper cross-bar, D,-until the [bolt of the latch has snapped into the socket J but before this can be done the hooks L catch under the cross-bar D and keep the case F in a vertical position on the writing-board A. The: desk is now ready for use. To fold the same the above movements are reversed.

This desk can be folded as compactly as a chair, is light, durable, and very simple in construction.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Fat ent--- In a folding desk, the combination, with the pivoted cross-legs A B A B of the board A, case F, cross-bar D, latch H, and hooks L L, substantially asyherein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

DWIGHT BUBDGE.

IOO 

